cat sitter or cattery ??

[laura1959]

ok heres a question I want some honest answers please,i went away a Christmas for 5 days and had a cat sitter to look after my two cats ,I was very happy don't get me wrong,but now just booked a holiday to Greece for july do I get a cat sitter or should I put them in a cattery its 14 days ,I am not sure and spoken to people at work and mixed reviews so now I don't know what to do.??

[meriad]

My personal opinion would still be that the cats will be happier at home and if you have got a good cat sitter that you're happy with then I would go down that route.

[laura1959]

My personal opinion would still be that the cats will be happier at home and if you have got a good cat sitter that you're happy with then I would go down that route.

yes I have to admit that's how I am feeling too,they where rescue cats as I proberly mentioned in an earlier post elsewhere,and love coming in and out sleeping in there different beds ,playing with there toys and having the run of the place,the catsitter was a lovely lady in her thirties dutch,and she was born on a farm ,and has a cat herself.my cats ouzo and fix still a little nervous but after spending time with them at Christmas Karen got confidence with them both ,spending half and hour morning and evening with them, they where a bit strange with me after returning after Christmas but soon they knew it was me .

[Mollysmummy]

I personally am an advocate of catteries, but that's because we have a brilliant one near us. Spacious, light, clean and very friendly staff. I guess I just don't like the idea of a stranger in the house, and I know at the cattery they look after the cats well and feed them exactly what we want.

I would always visit a cattery first to see the conditions before booking.

[laura1959]

I personally am an advocate of catteries, but that's because we have a brilliant one near us. Spacious, light, clean and very friendly staff. I guess I just don't like the idea of a stranger in the house, and I know at the cattery they look after the cats well and feed them exactly what we want.

I would always visit a cattery first to see the conditions before booking.

yes I can see the good side of both ,but my two love running about outside don't think they would like to be in a enclosure 24/7 ,they are so used to jumping in and out of the window when ever they like and sleeping in there various beds in the bedroom on top of the wardrobes and in the living room ,eating when they like and going out when they like. and I don't have any catteries that near too that's another snag,that will collect and bring back ,as I don't drive,so its difficult all round at the moment.

[lilynmitz]

To some extent it's a matter of how you think your cats would cope, and how good the cattery is. The cattery I used were very good, but my two didn't cope with it at all well. Lily seldom left her bed (not even to pee sometimes), and Mitz pulled all his tummy fur out, which never really grew back and left him with a nervous habit of fur pulling for the rest of his days. But at the time I felt I had no alternative, as they were "special needs" house cats. I left them there I think about 3 times, the longest for 3 weeks.

However, once I finally realised how tough they found it, despite the people there being lovely, I managed to find a good cat sitter locally, and then eventually found a neighbour willing to pill Lily and deal with all the special diets etc, The cats were MUCH happier with this arrangement, and I think I would do this every time in future, with whatever cat(s) I had. While they will have missed me and not liked being on their own so much, at least they were in their own safe environment and I didn't have to worry so much about them.

If they're house cats, at least you know they're safely at home and will get checked on twice a day and can't come to any harm. With indoor/outdoor cats, it's a bit different, as you can't check they're in at night etc. I think you just have to take a chance - if you can't shut them in. If you have a mirochip cat flap with a timer, you cant at least set it to "in only" at night, so the sitter can check on them at least once a day.

It's a tough call sometimes, but on balance I think they're happier at home with a sitter.

[SarahT1 [PLLE]]

Yes, I would support the cat sitter at home option. We are lucky enough to have stumbled on some excellent, dedicated cat sitters, so I am influenced by that I appreciate. We have had them over long weekends and over Christmas for 5 days and my three were perfectly happy and kept to their routines with them. If your lady has proved to be reliable then book her whilst you can. Ours have been to a cat hotel as well, and the last time, the two younger ones spent 9 nights there in the summer and were the stars of the show being so chilled out and affectionate. However, I would still prefer to have a cat sitter if we could, but unfortunately (for us and the cats!) my parents have a holiday in our house when we go away and so we can't have a sitter then and my parents would not be able to cope with looking after three cats!

[andybriz]

I would go with a cattery. I personally wouldn't like someone coming into my house every day. How much is a cat sitter compared to a cattery?

We have an amazing one near us and we've put our two into catteries on and off from when they were kittens and they don't mind at all. I think in a cattery they are more stimulated. In the one we use, they obviously go into the pens to feed and clean them, but they also have playtime, cuddle time and treat time and also add photos to Facebook every day for the owners. Even when someone isn't in the pen with them, there is always someone coming and going and there is always lots to look at. I don't think it's stressful for them at all and if my two were home alone for hours on end every day, I'd be really worried about them.

This is my personal view though, my cats are young and lively and as I work from home, I'm with them all day every day, and so they are used to someone being around most of the time! A cat sitter may be the better option for older cats or more independent ones. Only you know your cat!

[Mollysmummy]

I think whichever choice you make the most important is what's best for your kitties, and personally I would want someone happy to update me frequently. We put Molly in a cattery for the first time last year, and I was so worried I was literally emailing the owner every day while we were away. She sent me pictures and reassured me at all times, and Molly was absolutely fine. Next time we go away she will have her 'little brother' Kevin to keep her company so I won't worry as much!

[laura1959]

I would go with a cattery. I personally wouldn't like someone coming into my house every day. How much is a cat sitter compared to a cattery?

We have an amazing one near us and we've put our two into catteries on and off from when they were kittens and they don't mind at all. I think in a cattery they are more stimulated. In the one we use, they obviously go into the pens to feed and clean them, but they also have playtime, cuddle time and treat time and also add photos to Facebook every day for the owners. Even when someone isn't in the pen with them, there is always someone coming and going and there is always lots to look at. I don't think it's stressful for them at all and if my two were home alone for hours on end every day, I'd be really worried about them.

This is my personal view though, my cats are young and lively and as I work from home, I'm with them all day every day, and so they are used to someone being around most of the time! A cat sitter may be the better option for older cats or more independent ones. Only you know your cat!

my two cats are 18months old and where rescue cats ,and abandoned on a main road with 6 kittens taken in by celia Hammond cat trust,they where very very timid and scared when we got them last august but have come along way since still a bit nervous of strangers ,but used to coming and going in and out of my flat on there own in the day time as I work ,they are very independent really as they come and go as they like and have there toys and beds and obviously I leave food and water,to be honest I don't have a lot of catteries near me,and I don't think they would like being in a enclosed pen all the time ,but still thinking about it

[laura1959]

I would go with a cattery. I personally wouldn't like someone coming into my house every day. How much is a cat sitter compared to a cattery?

We have an amazing one near us and we've put our two into catteries on and off from when they were kittens and they don't mind at all. I think in a cattery they are more stimulated. In the one we use, they obviously go into the pens to feed and clean them, but they also have playtime, cuddle time and treat time and also add photos to Facebook every day for the owners. Even when someone isn't in the pen with them, there is always someone coming and going and there is always lots to look at. I don't think it's stressful for them at all and if my two were home alone for hours on end every day, I'd be really worried about them.

This is my personal view though, my cats are young and lively and as I work from home, I'm with them all day every day, and so they are used to someone being around most of the time! A cat sitter may be the better option for older cats or more independent ones. Only you know your cat!

my two cats are 18months old and where rescue cats ,and abandoned on a main road with 6 kittens taken in by celia Hammond cat trust,they where very very timid and scared when we got them last august but have come along way since still a bit nervous of strangers ,but used to coming and going in and out of my flat on there own in the day time as I work ,they are very independent really as they come and go as they like and have there toys and beds and obviously I leave food and water,to be honest I don't have a lot of catteries near me,and I don't think they would like being in a enclosed pen all the time ,but still thinking about it

the cat sitter is £224 for 2 weeks and that's half an hour visits they refresh the litter ,feed them play with them ,take out rubbish ,take in post ,water plants and generally tidy up after the cats.

[Cussypat1974]

If you already have a good, reliable cat sitter who you trust, I would go with that for sure. Kennelling is stressful for dogs, and even more so for cats. I worked at a dog kennels last Summer, probably the best one in Ireland. We all ADORED Dogs and absolutely loved the job, but even some dogs still get very stressed. Now, I would put my dogs there (which is saying something as I never trust anyone with my animals lol!) in a heartbeat, and go away for a break, if only I could find a decent cat sitter lol!

[Cussypat1974]

Also...... Just a word of caution...... Cats are escape artists...... Way more than most dogs. If you go the cattery route, do make sure it is well run and absolutely escape proof! Double doors are an absolute minimum requirement, with LOCKS on the doors. Then you have to be sure the staff actually USE the locks! Get a personal Recommendation and don't just pick one out of the phone book (not that I am saying you would). I have heard so so many horror stories about both cats and dogs in poorly run kennels. I am actually thinking of opening a cattery at some point myself, but the possible dangers are actually mind-blowing! One cat escaped up the chimney of a playroom at a well respected vets here..... Run by vet nurses!!!!!! Complete rookie mistake not to have blocked the chimney, but it happened...... The cat went, was picked up by a cat lady, but didn't get on with her own cats. She brought him in to be PTS, to the SAME vets. He got lucky, was recognised by a vet who just happened to be there at the time, and was reunited. The other vet in charge of the case would have just killed the cat!!!!!